Mbale City leaders slammed for ignoring public infrastructure

Mbale City Mayor Cassim Namugali and Town Clerk Ambrose Ocheng are facing intense criticism following their decision to purchase two high-end official vehicles, despite pressing infrastructure challenges in the city.

The controversial move comes at a time when key projects, such as road repairs and street lighting, remain incomplete, leaving residents frustrated.

Mayor Namugali had previously emphasised the importance of acquiring essential items like an ambulance, a road grader, and improving street lighting as top priorities.

Town Clerk Ocheng also acknowledged the dire state of the city's roads, which he attributed to the lack of adequate equipment.

He had pledged to prioritize the purchase of a grader using local revenue while waiting for central government support.

However, the city’s only grader is in poor condition, forcing officials to rely on borrowed equipment from neighboring districts.

This arrangement has proven inadequate, with frequent requests testing the patience of Mbale District, leaving the city to borrow from Manafwa District.

Residents were shocked when Mayor Namugali and Town Clerk Ocheng were seen driving new official vehicles — a Toyota Land Cruiser Prado TXL and a Toyota Hilux Revo, respectively—worth over Shs500 million.

The move has sparked outrage, as crucial infrastructure improvements remain unaddressed.

Northern City Division Councilor Sam Mafabi criticized the leadership for its questionable use of funds.

He revealed that despite the city council approving funds for hiring road equipment in the 2022/23 financial year, no procurement was made, and the funds remain unaccounted for.

Mafabi also disclosed that the council allocated Shs900 million in the 2023/24 financial year to purchase a grader, but these funds have not been utilized.

“When we scrutinized the budget for 2024/25, only Shs200 million was allocated for the grader," Mafabi said.

"When we asked for clarification, the city engineer referred us to the town clerk, who in turn directed us to the Chief Finance Officer. We ended up with no clear explanation about the Shs750 million and UGX 150 million meant for the grader."

The city requires an initial deposit of Shs650 million to secure a grader on hire purchase, which is 50% of the total cost of Shs1.3 billion.

James Kutosi, the City Public Relations Officer, confirmed that Shs277 million had been set aside for purchasing a grader in the last financial year.

However, these funds were reverted to the consolidated fund at the end of the 2023/24 financial year. Kutosi could not provide a satisfactory explanation for the missing Shs900 million.

It has been suggested that the vehicles were purchased under an executive minute, although members of the executive committee claim they were not consulted.

This has led to accusations that the mayor and town clerk bypassed council oversight to push their own agenda.

Mafabi has called for a forensic audit to track the misallocation of funds.

He criticised the leadership for prioritising new vehicles over essential infrastructure, suggesting that existing vehicles, such as those in the education and health departments, could have been used temporarily.

As public frustration grows, residents and councilors are questioning the transparency and priorities of Mbale City’s leadership.

The demand for improved infrastructure and accountability continues to mount, with stakeholders calling for better management and allocation of public funds.